SLSBC organises interactive meeting with International Enterprise Singapore
Thursday, 3 October 2013 00:00
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The Sri Lanka-Singapore Business Council (SLSBC) organised an interactive meeting with visiting officials of International Enterprise (IE) Singapore and the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore recently at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
Welcoming the delegates, President of SLSBC Shamil Mendis introduced IE Singapore as the Government agency driving Singapore’s external economy. Mendis in his introduction said that the primary mandate of IE Singapore as a statutory board of the Government of Singapore is to facilitate the growth of Singapore based business. Especially in emerging markets as with Sri Lanka, IE Singapore would advise Singapore companies to find reliable partners who best understand the practices unique and inherent in each country.
The delegation consisted of IE Singapore representatives; Timothy Sun and Aaron Zhang, Managers – South Asia Group, Magdalene Loh, Centre Director Mumbai and representatives of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore; Ong Lixia, Senior Assistant Director and Goh Keng Phang, Assistant Director – Emerging Markets Division who were on a official visit to Sri Lanka to meet with several Government authorities and the private sector.
The interactive meeting was organised to identify possible partnerships between Singaporean and Sri Lankan companies. The members present were given an overview of Singapore-South Asia Trade and how IE Singapore extends assistance to Singapore-based companies to internationalise and grow in the global market.
In his presentation, Timothy Sun, Manager – South Asia Group of IE Singapore explained the economic transformation of Singapore from a colonial outpost to an international business hub. At present, Singapore has 19 FTAs in force with its trading partner countries. The key industries of Singapore includes financial services, real estate, aerospace, chemicals and energy, education, electronics, engineering, environment and water, healthcare, ICT, lifestyle, medical technology, pharmaceutical and biotechnology, precision engineering, professional services, transport and logistics.
IE Singapore can provide market expertise and market insights on emerging markets and their key sectors, provide assistance to develop capabilities and support internationalisation by strategically engaging with companies and also offer in-market facilitation such as providing important links, platform projects and FTAs will help companies to develop international business. As the agency driving Singapore’s external economy IE Singapore assisted over 15,000 companies in their internationalisation drive in 2012.
The interactive meeting not only provided the members an opportunity to make useful business contacts but also to interact with the Singapore officials and share their experiences in developing business with Singapore.
